iPond Speakers Double As Aquarium

A tiny fish-tank that doubles as an iPod music speaker has outraged animal activists, who have dubbed it a "torture box".

The iPond allows owners to plug their MP3 player into it so music plays through a speaker built into the bottom of the small brick-shaped tank.

It is designed to resemble Apple Corp's best-selling iPod music player and is up to 15 times smaller than the minimum recommended tank size.

Melbourne-based chain store Pets Paradise is selling the $70 product at outlets across the city and it is proving such a hit that one city store has sold out and a suburban shop is down to its last two.

The RSPCA wants the iPond banned because it is too small to give fish adequate oxygen supplies, swimming room and a clean environment.

While the music produced by the tank speaker is of a poor quality, acoustics expert Dr Jason Gedamke said there was no doubt the fish would hear it. "The speaker is directly coupled to the outside of the tank ... It's the same as putting a fish tank on a speaker," he said.